


Hello

by FireFaceOutlook



Series: 10 Days of LawLu, 2k17 [6]
Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M, merman!Luffy, more in the description, partially blind Law
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 16:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11130633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireFaceOutlook/pseuds/FireFaceOutlook
Summary: Woah, a new visitor! I haven’t had one since Brook! He’s not a very good swimmer… Shishishi, he reminds me of Chopper and Robin and Brook when they first came here! ...wait…Ah! He’s drowning! Hang on, I’ll help you!





	Hello

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N: Law is a twenty-six year old college student with hemeralopia, a condition also known as day blindness; he could see normally in dim light and at night, but any time when the sun is up, he might as well have been completely blind. Luffy is a octopus merman who is halolimnic; he’s unable to breath in salt water, but he can in fresh water, so he occupies lakes that are connected by a series of underground-underwater tunnels that all end at the ocean.**

Law was lost. He was completely unaware of his current location or where his original destination was in relation to it. Bepo, his young Samoyed, was sniffing around his feet and being altogether unhelpful. And he was usually such a good seeing-eye dog. Law really didn’t want to start off his break from college lost in the woods. (He knew it was the woods or some kind of forested area because he could hear the leaves rustling in the breeze and he also clipped his shoulder again a tree, which was his first indication that he was not where he was supposed to be).

“Bepo, home,” Law ordered for what had to be the dozenth time, tugging lightly on the thin leash, but whatever scent his dog had picked up must’ve been really interesting, because he was determined to keep going further into the unknown.

Law had gotten up early just to get home and surprise his foster father, Corazon, but it looked like he’d be a bit late. It was a bright day out, so he couldn’t just lead Bepo back out of the area, because while the trees offered some shade, all he could make out was one large blur of brown all around him and it was disorientating. So he had to close his eyes and let Bepo guide him to where he wanted to go. At least the white mass of fur was still making sure Law wasn’t tripping over stones or slamming face-first into thick trunks. When they finally stopped, Law could hear the squelching of mud beneath his shoes. The leash was pulled sharply by Bepo as he lunged forward and as soon as Law heard the splash of water, he released the only link between him and his friend.

“Are you trying to drown me?” he huffed, walking carefully around the edge as Bepo happily swam in what had to be a lake or pond. When he found a dry spot, he slowly lowered himself, patting for any sharp stones or irritating twigs before settling down. He could hear the water lapping against the shore a few inches from him, and he had to admit, it was peaceful. Maybe when the sun set, or whenever he could see, he would mark down how to get to this place from the college and from Corazon’s house so he could have a nice place to study or just get away from everything when he was stressed.

Bepo eventually got out of the water and trotted over to Law, who quickly got to his feet and tried to move away before he could get water shaken onto him -- he didn’t want to smell like dog for the rest of the day. It didn’t work. He glared in Bepo’s direction as the Samoyed panted happily, then he tugged off his shirt. 

“Fine, I’ll come swimming with you.”

What that meant was that he’d sit in the shallowest part of the lake he could without Bepo trying to push him further. He was absolutely abysmal when it came to swimming because he’d never grown up where it was a necessary skill to know. He kicked off his shoes and peeled his socks off as well before rolling up the legs of his pants. Bepo went splashing into the water again, barking, and Law shushed him.

“You’re going to draw attention to us,” he warned.

He didn’t know if this was someone’s property and he’d rather not get in trouble when he couldn’t run for it. He carefully waded into the water until it came to his knees, and it wasn’t too cold, but cold enough to make goosebumps rise on his skin. His vision went from blurred to nonexistent at this point, however, since the water was far from the shade and directly under the sun. He took a few steps further; he would stop at waist-deep water and sit, and back up until the water only reached his shoulders. However, suddenly the lake bottom wasn’t there and Law, leaning his weight into his next step, couldn’t back up before he went plunging into the water. Despite how few articles of clothing he had on, he found himself sinking like an anchor. He could hear muffled barking above him and the further he sunk, the clearer his vision was, until black began creeping in from the sides and whatever air he had in his lungs escaped in a cloud of bubbles. After that, he simply passed out.

  


_Woah, a new visitor! I haven’t had one since Brook! He’s not a very good swimmer… Shishishi, he reminds me of Chopper and Robin and Brook when they first came here! ...wait… **Ah! He’s drowning! Hang on, I’ll help you!**_

  


When he opened his eyes, he was laying on the shore and dry. Bepo was laying next to him, and when he saw him open his eyes, he let out a whine and crawled closer on his stomach, licking at Law’s cheek. Law was too tired to push him away, trying to clear his muddled mind before he realized that it was dark out and he could clearly see Bepo’s white fur in the moonlight, as well as the still surface of the lake, and he remembered drowning. He sat up quickly and pulled himself further from the shore. Bepo followed him, tail wagging slowly. Law’s clothes were where he left them, so he got to his feet, taking a moment to make sure he was steady on his feet before he got dressed and snagged Bepo’s leash, unhooking it and letting his dog walk beside him as he left the clearing. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to come back after his near-death experience, but he was fairly certain that Bepo hadn’t been the one to pull him from the water and he wanted to know what did.

He made it to Corazon’s house in a few hours, so he estimated the lake’s whereabouts to be the same distance from the college as well. Corazon was very glad to see him; he’d been worried, that’s why he was up still when it was almost midnight. They said their 'goodnight's and the next day, Law spent time with him, but after the sun fell, after Corazon went to bed, Law left with Bepo to return to the lake.

  


It was as calming as before in the clearing. Bepo didn’t take off to try and swim this time, remaining by Law’s side as he approached the lake. He gazed out across the still surface of the water, luminous in the moonlight. He took off his shirt, shoes, and socks and set them aside.

“Stay Bepo,” he ordered before walking into the water.

His drowning session was still fresh on his mind, but he knew that the drop was somewhere before the water reached his waist, so once it was up to his knees, he sat and slide forward cautiously, legs extended. Once his feet stopped brushing the bottom of the water, which was about shoulder-height while he was sitting, he ducked his head underwater. The sight of the deep black depths sent chills down his spine and he fervently hoped he wouldn’t have to drop into the dark to find whatever had saved him. As it turned out, he didn’t.

**“Oh, you’re back!”**

The voice was strange. It seemed to be echoing through the water around him, but at the same time, it sounded like it was in his head. Then a form darted out of the shadows towards him and he flinched back. He began pulling himself back towards the shore when something cold and pliant wrapped around his ankle and he was suddenly yanked underwater. He flailed blindly for a moment, panicking, even when he felt human(oid) hands settling on his shoulders.

**“Hey, stop doing that! I’ll drop you!”**

He wasn’t sure if that was a threat or merely a statement, but he stopped, and as the bubbles stirred by his frantic movements died down, he found himself face to face with brown eyes and a broad grin.

**“Shishishi, that’s better!”**

Law did a quick assessment of this...creature. His top half was a normal human -- tan skin (not as dark as Law’s), black hair, a scar on his cheek… But from waist down, he was an octopus. He had eight long, dark red tentacles, one of which was wound around one of his calves. A merman? But that was impossible; they were creatures of myth. Law would’ve loved to debate about this some more, but at that moment, his lungs burned and he really needed air. He kicked his legs weakly and the merman frowned in confusion for a moment before his eyes lit up.

**“Oh yeah! You humans can’t breath underwater! You’re so weird~”**

Law scowled, but the creature ignored him, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him to the surface. Once they broke through the water, Law gasped for breath, coughing. He could hear Bepo barking loudly, but he obediently remained beside the water instead of going in.

“Hello!” the merman called over to Bepo, then looked at Law with another grin. “I forgot! I’m Luffy; Monkey D. Luffy!”

“Trafalgar Law.” What was the harm of giving his name to a mythical creature? It’s not like he could really use it against him...could he?

Law hadn’t realized they were moving until his legs and hands brushed against the “shallows” of the lake. As he situated himself to sit on the edge of the drop, Luffy pulled on a straw hat Law hadn’t noticed hanging around his neck by a string.

“So, Torao, why did you get back into the water if you can’t swim?” Luffy asked bluntly. “I don’t meet a lot of stupid humans, but you and Zoro seem to share similar mindsets. Except Zoro got lost and walked right into the lake on accident somehow.”

Law personally thought that this Zoro person was more foolish than himself -- who accidentally walked into a lake?

“I mean, if you wanted to meet me, all you had to do was call my name.”

“I didn’t know your name,” the human replied flatly.

“Oh yeah! Shishishi!”

Law wondered briefly how old this childish merman was, but then decided it didn’t matter. He got what he came for. He stood up and grimaced at the temperature difference between the water and the air.

“Thank you for saving my life, Mugiwara-ya.”

He turned to walk to shore, only to nearly face plant as a tentacle wrapped around his leg and pulled. He shot an irritated look towards Luffy, who was giving him a pleading expression.

“Are you going to come back and visit?”

“Why?”

“Well…” Luffy’s grip loosened. “I’m all alone here. Chopper says I’m halo-ic and that’s why I can’t live in the ocean with my brother and friends.”

 _Halolimnic,_ Law’s mind provided from when he was researching different kinds of fish with his friend, Sanji, who was taking culinary classes. _A sea creature who’s adapted to fresh water._

He wondered how that happened, but he was sure Luffy didn't have an answer either.

“Fine, I’ll come back,” Law decided. “But I can’t come back every day. I have school. Okay?”

Luffy nodded eagerly, releasing Law and grinning. “See ya later!”

Then he disappeared into the depths of the lake and the surface of the water stilled once more as Law reached shore. He began to get dressed, eyeing the lightening horizon warily. He hadn’t realized he was out so late. He whistled for Bepo, who was standing at the edge of the lake still, to join him as he reentered the woods. He had to admit, he had never had anything so exciting happen to him. Meeting a real life merman…it almost felt like a dream. He’d just have to visit again to make sure it wasn’t.

**Author's Note:**

>  **A/N: Notice Luffy said brother not brothers. So who is it? Sabo or Ace? :3**  
>  When was the last time you got lost?


End file.
